The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-25
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Municipal Suffrage in Kansas.

Municipal Suffrage in Kansas.
To the Editor Of the Indianapolis JournaE
Now that the smoke of the battle of ballots in
Kansas has died away, one may take calm re-
view of the situation and count the results. Two
things are very certain First, the whisky alli-
ance had its reporters we'll distributed over the
State and instructed to telegraph anything but
that which was favorable to woman suffrage The
falsshoods sent out by these agents have been
promptly met by the Republican press and rep
utable people of Kansas. and a reaction has
come that is benefting rather than injuring the
y use of woman suffrage. Second, the edi-
torials of the whisky press are furnishing
the animus of the liouorcrats toward woman
suffrage. The Kansas City Times is pre-
emlnenty mad; it raves at those of us who were
instrumental In securing the law; it calls us
'scranks." fanatics" 'lean kline" prohibition
it's" ''locusts," "hoop-skirt orifammes," free
love dervishes." and SO to the end Of epithet
and bllinssgate; it informs the reading public
that female municipal suffrage has dealt a blow
to the female purity, modesty and chastity OF
Kansas that neither will recover from in the
lifetime of the generation which unsexed their
and drove them to encounter
the moral leprosy and degradation of
municipal politics" The Times does not vent
to explain how this wholesale forgstfuness
of womaniiness has been brought about or by
what process of nature the putting of a ballot
in box has SO changed the Kansas women.
The whole truth of the matter lies in the fact
that by the votes of women III Kansas munich
palities the occupation of that class of politi-
CLANS which sustain such papers as the Times
has forever gone, and the votes of women have
dealt far more deadly blow to Democracy and
the moral leprosy and degradation of munich
pal politics in Kansas" than to anything else
In an editorial in which the Times thus vents
its spleen upon the women, it calls the preachers
that stood sohdly by these women in their battle
for the home against the saloon "a class of sac
erdotal sneaks who, coming fresh from the
storming OF Magdalen. fondle their perfumed
Phrynes splashed to the lips in wine" The
Times calls the editor of the Republican paper
of Leavenworth 1.-The savage Malay" and my
self "Jezebei," a political ogress," and few
other "pet names" 1t would have been we'll for
the cause it advocated if the Times had cl sed
its rawlings with Its epithets; but it unwittingly
puts facts into the hands of the friends of law
and order with which to destroy itself in giving
the official votes OF men and women in Leaven-
worth where the greatest battle was fought in
the history of municipal government
The Times shows that o14 women voted for
the law and order ticket, and 500 women voted
for Nicely, the saloon candidate. making total
of 2,467 women who ''unsexed" themselves on
that memorable occasion. Out of 543 votes cast
by negro women whom the Times characterized
as $50 many two-legged CATTLE" it claims that
not more than forty three voted for Nicely. The
male vote. given by the Times. was. for the
law-and-order ticket. 3,209; for Nicely, the saloon
candidate, 1925 Deducting the votes of the
women from those of the men, the results OBJ
tanned bear a wonderful lesson to those in favor
of law and order and those desiring that the
better elements Of society shall rule our politics:
For law and order male votes 3, 200
For law and order, female votes 1 574
--..--......--..--...... $50
For saloon candidate, male votes 5. 225
For saloon candidate, female votes. S97
Leaves 1928
Had it not been for the votes of the women in
Leavenworth, as shown by official figures, the
saloon candidate would have been elected by a
majority of 693. The votes of women so far
overcame those of the men that Mr.. Nicely who
was elected by LOO majority two years ago, is
this time elected by bare sixteen majority and
an entire law-and- order council is elected As
if to make the lesson more potent for woman s
claim to the ballot as not only right but expedi
emit. in these times Of municipal corruption. the
Times says:
result, overy Democratic (which saoonatit
| in Kansas nominee elected by average major
ty of 655, thus bearing out the claim that but fol
the (rougarite vote Nicely majority would have beer
| not less than ZOO"
Thus the leading organ of the saloon in Kan
sas politics acknowledges, and gives official fig
ures to prove it. that by the votes of women the
saloon vote has been overcome, and that too
| under the most trying circumstances. The
| Times ends its dismal wall by declaring that il
| "the candidate for Mayor on the law and order
Ticket had been a mudturtle from lake the
| women howlers would have voted for it, just 81
the shell on its back there was carved the
word Republican am glad for this edito
| rial, and with the noble women of Kansas an
| proud to stand by the record.
| The Republican party in Kansas stands un
compensatory in favor Of prohibiting the sa
| loon, and demands that the liquor traffic shall
obey the law like every other traffic. The Repub
| licau party in Kansas has taken advanced
| ground for legislation in the moral interests Of
the people. 1t has wisely brought to its aid tn,
home element in politics, and that the result O
the Republicans in Kansas is evidenced by tn,
press of the State.
In the light of such Endorsement it is cheer
ing to read the waings of the Kansas Cit,
Times, which ends its TRADES Of abuse by de
claring that 'instead of purifying, they (the
women have added so per cent to the de
bauchery of municipal politics, and proved Il
the whole world that if they had the powe
they would make a veritaole hell upon eartl
out of any form of government"
! Only words of praise. for such sheet as tn,
Times could wish harm to good cause. 1t ha
long been recognized as the champion of tn,
| most vicious elements of Kansas politics AM
| by the votes of women its occupation is gone
and its wrath knows no bounds. Let it continue
| to rave, while the American people continue q
think and resolve. HELEN NJ. COUGAR.
Prohibition in the Cities.
| To the Editor OF the Indiana polls journal:
By local option methods some of the cities
| could never become free of the saloon nuisance